Mary O'Dowd was unanimously approved as the state health commissioner.

TRENTON — A Rutgers University graduate today won unanimous support from a Senate panel to become state health commissioner after fielding tough questions about Gov. Chris Christie’s decisions to curtail funding on programs serving women and AIDS patients, and the implementation of the medical marijuana law.

Mary O’Dowd, 33, joined the department in 2008 as chief of staff, and will replace Poonam Alaigh as commissioner for the Department of Health and Senior Services if the full Senate approves her nomination. Alaigh resigned April 1 to help take care of her terminally ill mother-in-law.

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing began with former longtime Assembly Speaker Jack Collins introducing O’Dowd to the committee as someone who is "respectfully direct" and rightfully challenged him when she was a young staffer in the Assembly Republican office more than a decade ago. "This is as good as we get," said Collins, of Salem County.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) pressed O’Dowd to explain how the department selected six medical marijuana cultivators and sellers from a pool of 21. Before the hearing, Scutari called the process "a sham." He previously noted several prominent Republicans were selected.

Though he was surprised O’Dowd could not immediately answer some of his questions, Scutari said he would support her anyway. "You’re very well liked — congratulations on that. But I do want you to come back and answer questions. We’ll want more firm answers."

Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex) criticized the governor’s decisions, including eliminating $7.5 million in grants shared among family planning clinics. Gill asked whether O’Dowd would work with the legislature to restore the grants this year if money was available.

O’Dowd at first qualified her answer, replying "there are so many worthy programs." Gill cut her off. "I didn’t ask you what is most worthy ... Would you engage in the process with the legislature’’ to consider restoring the cuts?